Echo
by Fanatic4Fiction
Summary: Ash and Mary-Lynnette bask in the bliss of being new-found parents. Futurefic. Review! Rated T for swearing.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Night World nor any of its characters.**

So I wrote this baby (pun intended?) a while ago and didn't have the internet service to post it. Yeah, I know.. Still writing that Glee fic because I'm just not sure how to make it flow better yet- but I'll figure it out! I promise! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little 'futurefic' for Mare and Ash. I personally thought it was warming enough.

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><p>"How are you feeling?" Ash whispered, his hands holding onto hers.<p>

Outside fresh snow covered the ground and though it appeared to have slowed down, the white flakes continued to fall. Mary-Lynnette's eyes shifted to the boy- no, now a man- sitting next to her. His ever shifting eyes were set solely on her face. Other than their breathing, the room was silent.

"Tired." she finally answered in a hoarse whisper. Gently clearing her throat, she closed her eyes. "What about you?"

He smiled. In spite of only knowing each other for about two and a half years now, somehow his soul mate had matured in those mere 18 hours. "I'm still adjusting to it all. You do realize it's going to be insane for us, right?"

"...Because we're so young, blah blah blah. I've heard it all before, Ash." she retorted playfully, opening her blue cobalt eyes that seemed to never fade. There was another comfortable silence before she spoke again cautiously, "Ash?"

The lamia vampire closed his eyes, thoughts now distantly away. "Hmm?"

"Do you regret it?"

A sense of shock knocked his mind back to reality in a harsh lash. Snapping into a sitting position, he gave her a perplexed look. "Regret? Why would you think I'm regretting this?"

"Because I just ruined your life, that's why." she stated while intently viewing his horrified expression.

"Never. I meant what I said months ago. We did this together- we chose this and it was meant to happen. I'm not going to suddenly change my mind Mare. I love you too much. And after what just happened now... Hell, I'd be a fool not to love you even more."

She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath.

"Why are you talking like that?... Do you have regrets?" he witnessed as she shut her eyes tighter, fighting tears that soon overflowed and stained her cheeks.

"Never. Never." she shook her head. "I love the both of you too much. I'm just scared of what'll happen. He's going to grow up thinking he doesn't belong in the world."

Ash sighed. "Jez doesn't think like that."

"But Jez lasted her whole life thinking she was part of a whole. Now? She knows she's fighting two different sums. It's conflicting."

"But she gets through it and so will he. He has us, Mary-Lynnette. He's not alone." They both shifted their gazes toward the tiny body squirming in the baskinet. "I'll get him." Ash offered.

Mare smiled lazily. "Thanks, I'm still sore."

As he got up from his place, Ash smiled. "I bet I would be too if I had to push a person out of my v-"

"Ash!" she hushed, shaking her head and watching as her soulmate carefully carried the tiny bundle. She noticed his eyes change like crazy and it filled her with happiness knowing they did this. They personally created this tiny little person.

As he stared down at the bundle in his arms, Ash couldn't help but feel his heart swell with tender kindness. This boy was a part of him and Mare. And as he thought more about it he realized how uncanny this was. Almost three years ago had he agreed to never be a part of this kind of life- the kind where one gains responsibility and becomes a true man. No, he had agreed to be a part of the crazy, sadistic nature of his kind. Then he had met her. And his world had forever shifted from then on. And now, as he peeked at his 19 year old girlfriend lying on the bed, he couldn't help but smile.

He finally had a family to call his own. Something he could mold and shape together in the ways Daybreak would want vampires and humans to be. He would make damn sure that his son grew up to be a true fighter.

_He'll have my badass fighting skills, my good looks-_

_Ash... _Mare warned telepathically as her eyes began to droop.

_-And of course, he'll have your rational thinking._ Ash added sarcastically, shooting her a teasing glance before returning to his son. "Is that right? Are you going to physcoticallly over analyze everything?"

Mary-Lynnette grunted in disapproval. She was starting to wonder why she ever chose to bare his child because knowing the Redferns, trouble always seemed to followed.

"Or," he added dramatically, squinting at the tiny sleeping face. "Will you be a ladies man like me?"

"Redfern- don't encourage him!"

"But Mare, he'll be such a charmer!" he whined, tilting his head to her like a little boy would to his own mother. "Don't mess with what is!"

She sighed in defeat. "Okay, Ash. But mind this- being a charmer and a man whore are two_ very _different things."

His mouth dropped open in astonishment. She was never one to use such harsh words. Want to know the worst part? He found it irrevocably attractive. Very, very attractive. "Mare! You said you wouldn't judge me for my past!" he played along.

"I'm lucky I didn't contract some sort of sexual disease from you!" she huffed, inwardly laughing.

Suddenly the door creaked open and Quinn's snickering broke through their little bubble. "What the hell did I just walk into?"

Ash blinked at him. "Nothing more than the usual."

"You were talking."

Ash nodded. "Yes Quinn. People talk to each other. It's a form of communication."

"About sexual diseases. In front of your newborn baby."

Mary-Lynnette snorted and rolled over to her side, letting her back face them. "Calm down Quinn- he's a baby he won't understand."

Quinn mock glared at Ash. "Your bad influence of extreme cockiness has clearly affected Mary-Lynnette's behavior."

"That's what happens after knowing him for two whole years." she mumbled into her pillow. "You start acting like him."

Ash nodded. "Yes sir, I'm like that itch you just can't get rid of-" he stopped for a second, his eyebrows crinkling. "Why are you here anyway Quinn? I though you and Rashel were off on some errand for Thierry."

"We were but Rashel insisted we come back before the birth. Of course, we were side-tracked and missed it. Nonetheless, we're here."

"So where's Rashel?" Mary-Lynnette yawned.

"Hannah needed her assistance."

She lightly nodded. "Oh."

"So what do you think?" Ash asked Quinn, motioning to the sleeping baby.

Quinn's shoulders shrugged. "He's definately taking after you Redfern. Hair and everything." he stared for a bit longer, glancing from him to Mary-Lynnette. "Except his skin tone is sort of a mix of yours and Mary-Lynnette's. It fits."

"Ash thinks he's hellbent on being a ladies man too." Mare stated sleepily.

Quinn laughed. "Really?"

"Just looking at him for a split second and I can tell. He's got the vibe going on."

"Oh goddess. If he's anything like you please by all means, drive a stake through my heart."

"Hey!" the blonde vampire protested. "I'm not that bad, right Mare?"

"...Leave me out of this discussion!"

There was another knock at the door. "Come in!" Ash answered, his attention returning to the bundle.

Rashel, Hannah and the rest of the gang walked through. Illiana practically ran to Mary-Lynnette's bedside, giving her a big side hug.

"Oh! You're a mom now!" she squealed.

Jez looked at the baby. "Yeah Mary-Lynnette. How does it feel?"

She smiled. "It feels... Magical."

"What about you Ash? Still nervous?" Thierry asked.

Ash shook his head. "Not as much as I was before. I mean, I've been a father officially for what, half a day? It's not so bad."

"Can I hold him?" Hannah asked. Ash nodded and carefully handed him over to her. She rocked him back and forth gently before Rashel spoke.

"What name did you two decide on?"

"Luke Redfern." they simultaniously answered, smiling at each other.

Maggie awed. "It's so perfect for this little guy."

There was a sudden shift in the air then. It was like a puzzle figuring itself out and all they had to do was pull all the pieces out of the box. Something about this picture felt... Secure. Right. If they didn't know any better, they would've said it was fate. That this was meant to be.

"I think we should let the newfound parents rest, don't you think?" Thierry said lightly. Hannah carefully handed Luke to Mary-Lynnette's awaiting arms and took hold of Thierry's hand as he led the group out of the room. Once they were gone, Ash pecked Mare's cheek.

"I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too." Luke squirmed in her arms and she giggled. "We love you too baby." her blue eyes stared at Ash in full admiration. "How is it that you come along in my life and change me completely?"

He blinked. "Well as I recall it- you came into my life and might I add that it was totally abrupt."

"We changed each other." she concluded as he took a seat next to her. "We made each other grow up and although it was kind of out of the blue that we were soulmates- I think it fits for a reason, you know?"

He nodded. "Blissfully so." they fell into a comfortable silence before he added, "Do you think he'll have a soulmate?"

Mare shrugged. "I don't know- I mean, there's somebody out there for everyone. The only thing I'm worried about is, if he's anything like you, then we're going to get such a fit from him."

"Yeah- wait! I didn't throw a fit. I was in despair at the fact that I could settle down. Back then I was a real-"

_Man-whore?_ she finished telepathically.

"Hey now, I don't use titles but yes, like that." he chuckled lightly. "Remember when we would make out in our room and people thought we were having sex?"

"I got a lot of crap from the girls because of that, Ash." she laughed. "If you weren't so theatrical about it all we would've been good to go."

"I was just having some fun Mare." suddenly he yawned. "I'm beat, do you want me to put him back?"

She nodded, handing the baby over before rolling on her side slowly. Closing her eyes she felt him lay down beside her, his arms hugging her from behind.

_Ash? _she thought tiredly.

_Yeah?_

_...Did you remember to tell your sisters and my brother about the baby being born? I'm sure they'd like to know._

His body twitched once and he swore he quit breathing. Her forehead crinkled.

_Ash?_

_...Fuck._

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><p><em>Tell me what you think by reviewing! Most appreciated! Hope you liked it and if you remember "Chocolate Cake" then you'll recognize that ending. Haha, I just love Ash so much... Which reminds me, why can't there be a guy like that for realz? :P<em>

_-Fanatic4Fiction_


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